One of the main reasons why I wanted a personal trainer was to
learn proper form while lifting. I
have low back and knee issues that have kept me from previously trying any
serious lifting on my own. I deal
with pain on a fairly regular basis especially with increased workouts so I
have been squeamish about anything that would put extra force on my back and
joints. I voiced my concerns to my
trainer and explained my issues in detail and his reaction was surprising. He didn’t seem to worry at all. He explained to me that with proper
form, I shouldn’t aggravate any of my knee or back issues.
We spent a fair amount of time going over proper form for
squatting. Perfecting your form
for squatting is a must before you move on to weighted squats, deadlifts, and
cleans. Squatting seems like a
pretty straight forward exercise, but it can lead to injuries if not done
properly.
Why squat?
Squatting is a whole body exercise. It works your legs, abs, back, and arms (if using a
bar). Benefits of squatting
include: building muscle, gaining strength, gaining flexibility, and
strengthening your knees (when done correctly!!).
If you do squats with poor form, you run the risk of injuring
your knees, as well as your low back and neck. Do not do half-squats.
Your knees are their strongest in a fully flexed or extended
position. Half-squats will put a
lot of unwanted pressure on your knees, adding to any problems you currently
have, or creating a new one. Half-squats also only work to strengthen your
quads, not your glutes or hamstrings.
This will lead to muscle imbalances and injuries. Any time that you are lifting, you
should be going through the full range of motion.
Squatting
Practice.
Practice. Practice. If you do something a thousand times,
your likely to start getting it right.
Do squats without a bar or weights until you perfect your form. As you start adding more weight, small
imperfections in your technique will become amplified and can lead to more
serious injuries. I found this
video that goes through the proper technique for squatting without weight. I’m with this guy up until the end. He says not to go below parallel
(meaning not to drop your hip joint lower than your knee joint) if you have
knee problems. Proper squatting is
parallel or lower.
It is only after you have perfected your form that you should
start adding weight to your squats. This video is a good example. Push through the heels!!
I use to shy away from doing squats because of my knee
problems. I am currently able to
squat 150lbs and I have had no knee pain associated with lifting since I have
started weight training. My knees
actually feel stronger and better wince I have started lifting. I’m sure that this can be attributed to
the strengthening of my leg muscles which in turn help to stabilize my
knees. However, I have been
running less since I have started lifting which is another factor. My running time has actually decreased
but my legs feel stronger when I run.
Hills are easier to manage and I no longer feel like my legs are tiring
and causing me to have to stop. I was
never a fast runner and I certainly am not a long distance runner, so the
decrease in run time for me is not a big deal. I’m really happy with the strength that I have gained over
the last few weeks through squatting.
My posture also seems to have benefited as well as my confidence. I’m pretty sure that I could snap
someone in half just by using my legs and that gives me this bad ass feeling of
awesomeness. Go get yourself some.
So true!! I have been struggling with all of my squat-based lifts at the gym. Since doing squats, and attempting to do them correctly, I have become intimately familiar with the extent of my lack of flexibility. What's more, as I have practiced I have gotten better, much stronger, and a good deal faster. Keep up the squats!!
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